Inihayag ng Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) na pumanaw na umano ang founding chairman nitong si Jose Maria "Joma" Sison sa edad na 83 sa Netherlands kung saan siya ay naka-self-exile.

Ayon kay CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena, pumanaw ang CPP founding chairman matapos nitong maospital.

"Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines, passed away at around 8:40 p.m. Philippine time after two weeks of confinement in the hospital," sabi ni Valbuena.

"The Filipino proletariat and toiling people grieve the death of their teacher and guiding light," dagdag niya.

Kung matatandaan, itinatag ni Sison, isang aktibista, ang makakaliwang rebolusyonaryong organisasyon na CPP noong Disyembre 1968.

Limang dekada nang inilulunsad ng CPP ang pagrerebelde laban sa gobyerno, kasama ang armadong grupo nitong New People's Army (NPA) and political arm National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

"The entire Communist Party of the Philippines gives the highest possible tribute to its founding chairman, great Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thinker, patriot, internationalist and revolutionary leader," sabi ni Valbuena.

Dagdag pa ni Valbuena, ipagpapatuloy pa rin ng grupo ang mga nasimulan ni Sison at ibibigay ng grupo ang lahat ng paraan "to carry the revolution forward."

Sa mga naunang panayam, sinabi ni Sison na siya ay isang "recognized political refugee" na walang "legal admission" sa Netherlands.

"Someday I will return, physically or in ashes after my cremation but I always consider myself being in the Philippines," saad ni Sison sa isang panayam sa telebisyon.

"I am with the people. I have many comrades, friends in the Philippines so I don't really care when I shall be able to return to the Philippines," dagdag pa niya.

Nagbigay-pugay naman si National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) chairperson Edre Olalia sa pumanaw na communist leader.

"You are many things to many people and your inimitable legacy and venerable place in history and in the peoples' struggle are embedded in our minds and hearts," sabi ni Olalia.